More arrested in child porn investigation

8:18AM GMT 13 Mar 2003

Police have arrested a further 43 men in connection with Operation Ore, the long-running investigation into child pornography on the internet, Scotland Yard has said.

Around 350 officers swooped on suspects across Greater London yesterday. A large quantity of computer equipment was seized and the men were taken for questioning at police stations across the capital, a spokesman said.

They were arrested on suspicion of the downloading and distribution of images of child abuse on the internet. He added that the NSPCC was on hand to assist police with the raids.

American authorities handed British police a list of more than 7,000 men suspected of using their credit cards to access pay-per-view websites containing child pornography.

More than 1,600 have so far been arrested, including Pete Townshend, guitarist from The Who.

The spokesman said: "We are sending out a strong warning to those who think they can remain anonymous and escape the law by using the internet to access abusive images of children."